Countdown to leave the team? Lamelo Ball cancels Hornets official account, the Clippers may be the next home

Qilu Evening News·Qilu One Point Feng Zihan

On May 27, former NBA player Louis Williams said on the podcast that he believed that the Clippers would take certain actions to chase Lamelo Ball. Rumors about the "three-ball" trade have been spreading. Earlier, his brother, Bulls defender Lonzo Ball, talked about the second-largest popular Dylan Harper, believed that the latter would go to the Hornets: "The Hornets have a fourth pick, and then I predict that Melo (Lamelo Ball) will be sent to the Clippers."

At present, Lamelo Ball has a guarantee contract before the 2028-2029 season, but it does not mean that he must stay with the Hornets. It is interesting that the "Three Balls" have been unblocked to the Hornets' official Instagram account.

Last season, the Clippers ranked fifth in the Western Conference with 50 wins and 32 losses, and were reversed and eliminated by the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Harden was forced to undertake too many organizational tasks, and averaged 9.1 assists per game in the playoffs, setting a career high, resulting in his average score drop to 18.7 points, greatly reducing the offensive threat. The "let Harden return to the second position" pointed out by Lou Wei is the core demand of the Clippers management: they need a real stadium commander, rather than letting the 35-year-old Harden run around between organization and scoring.

Lamero Ball needs to be asked whether it is suitable.

"Three Goals" averaged 25.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game last season, with a shooting percentage of 40.5% and 33.9% of three-pointers. The data looks good, but he only played 47 games due to injury, and the potential risks of attendance cannot be ignored: he only played more than 60 games in the past five years, and missed at least 25 games in the past three seasons.

In addition, although the "Three Balls" averaged 25+ per game in three seasons, their individual and team offensive efficiency ranks among the top three in the league.

For the Hornets, they have been in the rebuilding period in recent years, stocking up a large number of draft picks, and since October last year, six new draft picks (including one first-round pick). At this year's draft, they hold the 4th pick, 33rd pick (own), and 34th pick (from the Pelicans), and there are many options. If the Hornets finally choose a high pick and a rookie conflicts with the "three-ball" position, the latter's probability of leaving the team will further increase.